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An essential reference for anyone interested in gaining a deeper understanding and appreciation of classical mythology, this unique guide offers original source material on the social and historical background, interpretation, and commentary on major literary books on Greek myth such as Homer, Hesiod, the tragedians, the historians, Ovid, Vergil, and in Greek art. Written in a clear and lucid manner, the book offers fresh and original interpretations based on the latest scholarship, and comes organized into three distinct parts: I: Definitions and Interpretations (devoted to theoretical issues); II: Background (to fill in information essential to understanding myth); and III: Themes (chapters directed toward specific topics in the study of myth). For general readers of English literature and/or classical mythology. "show more

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In this brief book, Barry B. Powell provides the historical and theoretical background necessary to understand classical myth as it is found in its primary sources: the works of Homer, Hesiod, the Greek tragedians and historians, Ovid, and Vergil. Part One examines the origin of the concept of "myth" and the many approaches to interpreting myth that were put forward by ancient theorists and their more recent successors. Part Two describes the cultural context in which classical myth developed. Part Three examines a number of prominent themes in classical myth, exploring its relationship to the art, politics, society, and history of the ancient world. The book is designed as companion reading for students or others who are studying myth through original sources.show more